Distributor for loose material



Oct. 21, 1952 ,1. H. HOLBEN I DISTRIBUTOR FOR LOOSE MATERIAL 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 26, 1948 INVENTOR. \Z'H- Homes/v Oct. 21, 1952 J. H. HOLBEN DISTRIBUTOR FOR LOOSE MATERIAL Nan w Db WW4... NW 0 NR M Q R m 39 w Mm mp v, m vw 1 0 MM, 0 m L m s Wm w L I I: ll 0 O m Nb! Q N s ms F Q 4. hm. N% hv K. S g R QR Filed July 26, 1948 Oct. 21, 1952 J. H. HOLBEN 2,614,349

DISTRIBUTOR FOR LOOSE MATERIAL Filed July 26, 1948 ,4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

5g & Q I #04854? 5% TT R IVE y Oct. 21', 1952 J. H. HOLBEN 2,614,349

DISTRIBUTOR F OR LOOSE MATERIAL Filed July 26, 1948 4 Sheetshe t 4 IN V EN TOR. l/oL ezw Patented Oct. 21, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DISTRIBUTOR FOR LOOSE MATERIAL James H. Holben, Lake Wales, Fla.

Application July 26, 1948, Serial No. 40,774

8 Claims. 1 My invention relates to distributors for loose material, and while not so limited, is particularly adaptable for the distribution of fertilizer.

More particularly, my invention is particularly adapted for the distribution of fertilizer to row i crops wherein the rows are relatively widely] in the spacesbetween adjacent trees. Where the orchard or orchards are large, the lack of an adequate fertilizer distributor results in tremendous waste of fertilizer and frequently results in improper fertilizing of the trees.

With the foregoing in view, an object of my invention is to provide an improved fertilizer distributor.

A further. object of the invention is to provide an improved fertilizer distributor or an improved distributor for other loose material, wherein the material distributed is selectively distributed to the right or to the left of a hopper, to both sides of the hopper simultaneously, or not at all.

A further object is to provide in the distributor for loose material such as that last described, means mounting a hopper and distributor on a vehicle, and means for controlling the distribution of the material, as aforesaid, which is juxtaposed relative to the operator of the vehicle.

A further object is to provide an improved distributor of loose material which is adapted to be drawn by a tractor, and wherein a hopper carried by the trailer is adapted to feed material to be distributed to a distributing means between the tractor and trailer, and wherein the control or controls for controlling the distribution of the material is juxtapositioned relative to the tractor and the operator for the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved distributor for loose material which comprises a trailer including a hopper, said trailer being adapted to be drawn by a, tractor, a distributing fan carried by said trailer, means for operating said fan from the power take-off shaft of the tractor, and conveyer means for feeding material from said hopper to said fan, and means for driving said conveyer means from the traction wheels of the trailer.

Other objects and advantages reside in the particular structure of the invention, combination and arrangementof the several parts, in the structure of the elements comprising the device, and/or in the particular method or mode of operation, all of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the attached drawings in connection with the following specification, wherein the invention is shown,

described and claimed.

In the drawing- 1 Fig. 1 is an elevation of a preferred form of the invention showing the same attached to a tractor;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the device according to the invention apart from the tractor;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the invention. apart from the tractor;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the invention, parts being broken away;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section taken substantially on the plane of the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig.6 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section on a slightly enlarged scale and taken substantially on the planes of the lines 6--6 of Fig. 4; I

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken substantially on the planes of the lines 1-! of Fig. 5;

Fig. '8 is a transverse vertical section taken substantially on the plane of the line 8-8 of substantially on the plane of the line ll|| of Fig. 1 and Fig. 12 is a fragmentary transverse vertical section taken substantially on the plane of the line |2-|2 of Fig. 7.

Referring specifically to the drawing, wherein like reference characters have been used throughout the several views to designate like parts, H2 designates generally any suitable tractor including a frame I l, running gear [2, a seat 13, a power take-off shaft l4 and any suitable hitch member l5 for attaching a trailer according to the invention thereto. As so far described, the tractor and the related parts are conventional and form no part of my invention.

The trailer according to the invention is generally designated at [6 and comprises any suitin a free end22 formed to provide'means for:

suitably connectingsame to the hitch portion I5 of the tractor, Fig. 1. The wheels l8 may be rotatably mounted on axles 23 which may be connected together by any suitable-well-known differential gearing enclosed in a suitable housing 24. the housing 24 and has a pinion...gear 26. fixed on the forward free end thereof. ture is best seen in Figs. 4, 5 and 11. seen in Figs. 4 and 11, thepinion or sprocket 26 is connected -by-..any suitable means such as the chain 21 witha second. pinion or sprocket 28 which isfixedon.adrive-shaft. 29 for any suit.

ablelmulti-speed.transmission; gearing diagram.-

maticallydndicated by30- The transmission 33 is provided. with anysuitableor usual. actuating,-.ge,ar shift handle 3t. A driven shaft 32 extends upwardly of the transmission 38 in substantially opposite relation to the :drive shaft 29... The-driven .shaft .32 .operatively connected in.anysuitablemanner as by th-echain and sprocket connection 33 with a longitudinallykextendingshaft 34.; The severalparts. just described are suitably supported in any suitable or well-known..manner on the frame 11 .for the trailer l6.

The rear-lend of: the shaft 34 is suitably journalled in the frame I! and extendsirearwardly thereofl Therear endof: the shaft 34 has fixed thereon a suitableisprocket which. is connectedtightening the chain 35." The conveyor sprocket 36 is fixe.d .on -the. rear. freelendlof .the conveyor shaft 38 whi-ch extends longitudinally of the hop- A drive shaft 25 extends forwardlyof.

This struc As best per H3 at the bottom thereof. A suitable screw I conveyer 42. is formed aroundthe conveyer shaft 38 :and rotates: ina trough139at the bottom. of

the hopper [9 in a well-known manner, whereby material ismoved from. the rear. of theh'op-- peril 9 170 the .forw-ardend thereof of the eaves thereof to permit the free passage of material tothe conveyer while at the same time preventingthe weight of the bulk of thematerial to be distributed from being imposed upon the conveyer. The forward end of the shaft 38 for the conveyer 42 is .journalled in the f'OI'? ward wall 44 of the hopper I9 intermediate a pair, of discharge openings 43 formed therein, Thusmaterial from the-hopper l9 is'discharged by the conveyer 42 forwardly of .thehopper I9 into the minor hopper 20.

The. forward end of the elongated shaft. 34 is journalled in a suitable bracket 45 on. the-frame l1 .and is connected. byany suitable chain and sprocket mechanism or the like 46 toa conveyer shaft-.41.

andsprocket means 48 to a second andlaterally spaced-conveyer shaft 46. The purposeof the The conveyer shaft 41' is operatively connectedlin any suitable manner as bythe chain .4 conveyer shafts 41 and 49 will become apparent later. The chain 4-6 may be extended around an idler sprocket 56 which may be mounted on a stub shaft 5| which in turn may be adjustably mounted on a bracket 52 to permit tightening of the chain 46 in a well-known manner. The conveyer shafts 41 and 49 extend forwardly of the hopper 19 below the hopper 20. The shafts 41 and 49 are j-ournalled for rotation in suitable frame members of-the frame 11 and the forward extension 2 l thereof. A suitable screw conveyer 53 is formed around the shaft 41 and a like screw conveyer 54 is formed around the shaft 49. The conveyers '53 and 54 rotate respectively in conduits 55 and '56 which likewise extend forwardly below the minor hopper 26. The conduits 55 and. 56 terminate forwardly in free ends, but as is readily apparent fro-m Fig. 7, the conduit 561s substantially longer than the conduit 55 whereby it discharges forwardly of a vertical axis ,51 for afanliB.

journalled inframe members of the forward.ex-..

tension 21' of the frame. It should be noted also,

Fig. 7, that the forward end of the conduit 55'discharges onto the fan rearwardlyof the shaft 51' and on the oppositeside from the conduit 56;

The fan 53' comprises ahorizon-tall'y disposed 1 (H5059 fixed on thelower end of the shaft 51 "and f a plurality of. radially .extendingvblades 66in upstanding relation to the disc 59' and fixed to-the.

upperisurfacethereof. The blades .60may be strengthened by. an annulus 6| extending therethrough'in concentric relation to the. shaft. 51" and inverticallyspaced relation to the disc 59."

Thus, with the disc" orfan 'rota'tingin the di'rec tion of'the arrow; Fig. 7, or. in a clockwise direction, it is obvious that "material. from the conveyer-54 will be dischargedomthe forward half I of the disc 59 whereby;it will be dis'charged to.

the'right of the hopper; At the same time, mate rial from the conveyer 53 will be discharged onto the disc 59 rearwardly of the shaft. 5'! whereby it will bedistributedtothe'left' of thehopper;

In this connection, it should benotedthat mate-e rial is fedft'o the conduits 55 and'fifi through'a". pair of spaced 'discharge'openings 631and64 in" the floor 62 of-the minor hopper-.265 As bestseen'" in Figs iand 6, the openings"63"and 64in the floor of'the minor-hopper-20 are? selectively" openedand closed by a pair of independent and horizontallwslidable-plates Biand 66which are slidable'atop the forward frame extension 2|.

Actuat-ing rods 6'! are horizontally disposed for wardly of the plates lidand-Bfi and are fixedly The rods 61' are "slida'ble fin" sleeves 68*fixedto the forward extensionpfthe frame.= The forward ends of therods 6'! have ,a pin" and 'slot'connection' with thefree'endOf attached thereto;

bell cranks 69- each-of which is operatively; con'' :nected to an actuating arm 'lll'and H;- The bellcranks-are fulcrumed for rotation'atop the fore most portionof the forward frame'extension 2i whereby they will be-readily accessible-tothe operator of the tractor l6. Thus, by rocking the iv actuatingarms it andll of the bell crank'siira counterclockwise direction,- Fig. 6,. it 'is obvious thati'the depending arms69 thereof .will"throw the rods 61 forwardly and actuate. either or both of the closure plates xandfi6*rearwardlm wheres by to closethe-openings iiiiiand 64 inatheiioor of the-minor hop-per 20.

distributing fan.

As is readily apparent from Figsw lvand '7, the fulcrum-portion of the-bell crankscrosseach The axis vor shaft .51 forthe fan 53' is,.vertically disposed and issuit'ably,

Obviously, when this: occurs, no material will be-distributed-by the Distribution of the material from the conveyors 55 and B is confined to lateral direction by means of front and rear baffle members 12 and i3 which depend from the forward frame extension 21 forwardly and rearwardly of the fan 58.

To drive the fan 58, a suitable tubular shaft 14 is operatively and detachably connected to the power take-off shaft [4 of the tractor. The shaft 14 is operatively connected by universal joint 15 to a stub shaft 16 suitably journalled in the forward extension 2| of the frame. The stub shaft 16 is operatively connected in anysuitable manner as by the chain and sprocket means 18 to a longitudinally extending shaft 79 which is preferably contained in a housing 88. The shaft 19 is connected by any suitable gearing, preferably automotive differential gearing, to the vertical shaft 51 to drive the same. In like manner, the shaft l9.is connected by the same gearing to a second and aligned shaft 8| which extends rearwardly from the housing 80 through the forward wall of the minor hopper 20, wherein the same is journalled. The free end of such shaft 8| has fixed thereon any suitable lump breaker 82 which comprises a rotatable blade which is rotatable in the hopper 20 in the region of the opening 43 from the major hopper I9 and also the openings 64 and B3 in the floor of the minor hopper 20. Thus, the blade 82 serves to break up any lumps in the material to be distributed whether the r lumps are fed to the minor hopper 20 through the openings 43 or whether they were originally contained in the minor hopper 20. At thesame time, by providing a difierential gearing connection with the power take-oil shaft of the tractor, the blade 82 will cease rotating if it encounters a rock or other large obstruction which it cannot break.

While the operation of the apparatus should be readily apparent from the foregoing, a brief statement of the operation will now be made. In the event that the user of the device has a requirement to distribute a relatively large amount of material, such as fertilizer, the main hopper I9 is filled, and the trailer is operatively connected to the tractor. While the trailer 16 is being transported to the field of operation, the plates 65 and 66 are closed, whereby no material is fed to the conveyers 53 and 54. At the same time, the gear shift handle 3| on the trailer is thrown to the neutral position, whereby the rotation of the wheels I8 of the trailer is not transmitted to the conveyer 42, Thus, no material is fed to the minor hopper 20. Upon reaching the field of operations, the transmission shift lever 3! is thrown to the desired speed at which it is desired to feed material to the minor hopper 2D and to the conveyers 53 and 54. At this time, also, if it has not already been done, the shaft 14 is operatively connected to the power take-off shaft of the tractor, whereby to cause the fan 58 to rotate. Thus, as the trailer is drawn along a continuous stream of material is distributed laterally of both sides thereof by the fan 58. However, in the event that the user is distributing fertilizer to substantially widely spaced trees in an orchard, he merely actuates the lever arms 10 and H to open the closures in the bottom of the hopper 20 at such times when he has the trailer positioned laterally opposite a tree or trees and closes such closures upon passing the tree or trees. Thus, no fertilizer is wasted in the'spaces intermediate adjacent trees;

Likewise, in the event but a single row of trees are to be fertilized, but a single one of the closures for the hopper 20 is opened, whereby fertilizer is distributed to but a single side of the device. By positioning the distributing fan 58 intermediate the trailer and the tractor, the operator of the tractor can readily gauge the proper time for opening and closing the closures of the hopper 2|], whereby distribution of the fertilizer time and a minimum of wasted material. Bypro viding the minor hopper 20 the same can be utilized for small jobs of distribution which would not justify the filling of the major hopper 19.

While I have shown and described what is now thought to be a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of other forms and expressions. Consequently, I do not limit myself to the precise structure or structures shown and described hereinabove except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim: 5

1. In a trailer including ground wheels, said trailer being adapted to be drawn by a tractor including a power take-off shaft, and wherein said trailer includes a hopper for loose material; the improvement comprising a material distributing fan in adjacent relation to said hopper and mounted between the trailer and 'the tractor, means operatively connecting said fan to said power take-off shaft, said hopper being formed with a pair of discharge openings therein, a pair" of driven conveyors for feeding material to opposite sides of said fan for distribution thereby in opposite directions, said driven conveyors posi- I tioned below the discharging openings and above the fan, a lump breaker comprising a rotatable blade spaced rearwardly of and in alignment with the hopper discharge openings, means mounting said blade in said hopper in the region of said discharge openings for said hopper, and means including differential gearing directly driven by said power take-off to drive said blade to rotate the latter.

2. In a trailer including ground wheels, said trailer being adapted to be drawn by a tractor, and wherein said trailer includes a hopper for loose material; the improvement comprising a material distributing fan, means for rotating said fan, means mounting said fan between said tractor and trailer, means for feeding material from said hopper to opposite sides of said fan for distribution thereby in opposite directions, said means for feeding material comprising a pair of driven conveyors, each formed with an intake opening communicating with said hopper and a discharge opening communicating with said fan, means for selectively closing at least one opening for each conveyor, said fan including a vertical axis and horizontal blades, one of said discharge openings being positioned in superjacent relation to said blades forwardly of said axis and the oth- 7 r 'oibsaidz'di'schargeropeningsizbeing: positionedrinix, super jacennrelationi to said-bladesire'arwardly 'ofr said axiiewherebysaid materialufrom' said "COI'I'I- veyorstis; distributedisby :said'i an laterally of said; a hopper in?opposite directions;

3;:nThe structure'zof .claim:2,-Jbafiie'members ides--- pendihg'zfrom saidrfanimountingzmeans forwardly andrea-nwardly,rrespectivelmof saidcfan: I;

4.6 The structure of .claim-r zzaizlumpg breaker-y comprising;aiirotatable;sbladegcmeans amounting :10 saidwblade in saidihopperinithexregion of saidin-iwtakecopeningsfor said conveyors; and rmeansafor-t rotating-:saidblade;

5: The :structurec of claimrz, a slump: breaker comprising a rotatable .rblade; .means mounting saidizbladex-inrrsaidehopper aim: the region:- of ":said intakecopeningszfor saidcconveyorszand blade ro tating means; including difierentialr gearing iopere ativelyiconnecting said :zbiade" -to isaidzpoweri take-.2

6::In. a: distributora-for-tlooseimaterialythe com 1 binationaof .a' major hopper for said xmaterial'iandii having 1 a front wall; and. a'ibottom'r Wall; a a minor hopper-forward and said majorhopper' andv separat'editherefromiby the front a Wall of the latter, 1 said sfront. wall of the: major hopper having an opening adjacent' its bottom 'walii and cornrnuenicatinga Withrsaid :minorihopper material feed:- ing rmeans ;in :said maj or hopper. and delivering materialathrough saidrfr'ontwall opening-thelat ter havingportions extendingrto opposite'sides of saidmieedinga meanscanci through which material passesitherefrom; aubottom: inzsaid': minor hopper and having lateraliypspaced discharge openings; therein receiving material from the respective side portions'xof':theilfrontnwvall :openingrof thew major :1 hopper, :a pair." of i laterallyi spaced; feed screws; belowrsaid respective discharge :openings i:

and-:m'ountedin-conduit's having open front ends-,2v .a rotary-z discharge ":fan' 'spaceda belowwhe front endsirof-'said conduits zfor receiving the 1oose ma-:

terial andxdistributingcthe :same from opposite sides athereof; differential gearing connected to the'feedtscrewsaand driving thesamaan'd a EGG-r" 0nd. difie'rentiaigear fmeans connected 'to and driving.said'rotaryfan.

7. The structure -setforth irr claim 6,5the ma -w theifan. 1v

8;:iThe' structure-set forthclaimv figand'horizontaliy jslidable sciosure plates. for closing the discharge openings in the minor hopper and :a'

bell crank andioperating roduconnectin'gg; each closure platez' J AMES: H; HOLBEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordin" the-- file-of this patent:

UNITED STATESPA'IENTS Number: Name I Date- 1,619,795 r Roby; Marni, 1927 l,9!i0,fiO8-z Mosgrove Dec. 19,. 1933 21705360 Y Whelan; Aug;i22,jl939 2,200,165 FIIIKBISOITGU a1. Mayf'i, 1940 2256;6555: Stewart Sept. 23, 1941 238L212; Stoltzfus Apr. 28,:194'2 2,430,020 Johnson s i Nov. 4, 1947 f 

